From the same principle also arises the prerogative of
erecting and disposing of offices: for honours and offices
are in their nature convertible and synonymous. All offices
under the crown carry in the eye of the law an honour
along with them; because they imply a superiority of parts
and abilities, being supposed to be always filled with those
that are most able to execute them. And, on the other
hand, all honours in their original had duties or offices
annexed to them: an earl, comes, was the conservator or
governor of a county; and a knight, miles, was bound to
attend the king in his wars. For the same reason therefore
that honours are in the disposal of the king, offices ought
to be so likewise; and as the king may create new titles, so
may he create new offices: but with this restriction, that he
cannot create new offices with new fees annexed to them,
nor annex new fees to old offices; for this would be a tax
upon the subject, which cannot be imposed but by act of
parliament. Wherefore, in 13 Hen. IV, a new office being [Volume 4, Page 98]
created by the king's letters patent for measuring cloths,
with a new fee for the same, the letters patent were, on
account of the new fee, revoked and declared void in parliament.